Tales of the Greenwood
by Brackenfrond
Summary: A collection of stories about the elves of Greenwood, from the ruling of king Oropher to after the Battle of the Five Armies. Accepting ideas for stories. The same 'verse as ITB.


**5 Times Ahnir got a Circlet and 1 Time He Gave One**

**1 - Apple**

"Here!" Ahnir blinked in slight shock as Thranduil held out a cluster of branches and white blossoms in front of him. Ahnir knew that Thranduil had weird ways of saying 'I like you', but didn't exactly understand why he was holding out twigs and flowers.  
"Um...thank you?" Thranduil tilted his head in confusion, before looking down at the pile and scowled slightly.  
"It keeps falling apart." He muttered and Ahnir's brows furrowed.  
"Wha -"  
"Shhh!" Thranduil pressed his forefinger against Ahnir's lips to shut him up. Ahnir went cross-eyed to look at the finger until Thranduil figured that he'd gotten his point across and removed it.  
That was when he began singing.

It appeared as though the flowers and twigs burst to life at that, weaving together and more blooms and leaves bursting into life from what should be dead. Ahnir found himself almost entranced by Thranduil's voice and the magic that he was making with words spoken in an ancient language that Ahnir couldn't decipher.

It was done far sooner than Ahnir would have liked, and sat balanced between the prince's hands was a circlet, made out of the branches and blooms of an apple tree.

"That's incredible." Ahnir said, bending down slightly to allow Thranduil to balance it artfully on his head. "Oropher taught you?"

"Yes. It's required for the woodland king to create his own crown - tradition." Thranduil stated. "I'm practicing still - don't want my crown to fall apart while I'm in the middle of an important meeting." Ahnir laughed.

"The dwarves would most certainly not be impressed." Thranduil snorted, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.

"I don't care about those...those..."

"Greedy, selfish shortstacks?"

"That's a terrible insult."

"At least I came up with one." Thranduil resolutely ignored him, which was typical of him. "Thank you, anyway."  
"What for?"

"The crown." Ahnir gestured to the circlet on his head and Thranduil beamed at him, patting him on the shoulder.  
"Anytime, Mellon nin."

**2 - Laurel**

Ahnir was all too conscious of Almárëa and Annuneth watching from the sidelines, betting their best jewellery on the outcome of the match. Ahnir felt a bit insulted at the fact that Annuneth, his sister, was betting against him.  
At least Almárëa had faith in him. He'd always liked her.

It wasn't that much of a match, truth be told - a simple spar with swords. The only thing that Ahnir was worried about was that it was swords. He hated sword fighting.

Also, it was Hithon who he was up against and he was so good at it. One of the main reasons why Annuneth was betting against her dearest younger brother.

The fact that she and Hithon were courting was probably another reason why she was betting that Hithon would win. Thranduil was watching in amusement, a laurel wreath in one hand.

"You are obsessed with making those crowns." Ahnir stated to him and Thranduil offered a smile, before placing the wreath on Ahnir's head.

"Laurel's for victory." He said in way of explanation. "Maybe you'll be lucky."

"Nice to know you're confident in my sword skills." Ahnir said, slightly sulky. "I'm going to die."

"If Hithon kills you, I'll get Ada to banish him."

"I'm not going to kill Ahnir." Hithon finally got involved, tying his honey blonde hair back with a deep red ribbon. "You wearing your circlet?"

"I suppose." Ahnir shrugged. "Wish me luck."

"You'll do fine." Thranduil replied with an eye roll. "You won't die."

True to his word, Ahnir did not get killed by Hithon. In fact, he won, and Annuneth groaned and Almárëa let out a cheer and Thranduil merely smiled, amused. Ahnir touched the laurel in his hair and managed to smile.

Maybe there was actual magic in the circlets that Thranduil made.

**3 - Holly**

Yule was a time of celebration, mostly because it meant that winter hadn't depleted their stores of food.

Of course, the elves celebrated in style.

The best wine was served, along with cakes and sweets. The vegetables that were grown inside were served, of course, carrots and peas and swede mash. The biggest spectacle was, of course, the whole deer that had taken quite a few elves to take down. They donned their most festive clothes, musicians playing and they mingled, talking and laughing, eating and drinking.

Ahnir wasn't one for big gatherings, but no one with any sense would dare to miss the Yule celebrations. The feast was something no one should miss.

Annuneth looked stunning as always, mistletoe woven into her dark hair and standing out like stars. She wore a dress of white to match, and when she moved it looked like it was made of pure starlight. Almárëa, too, looked beautiful, a large red flower on top of the knot she'd tied her honey blonde hair up into, wearing deep red robes and looking festive.

Ahnir started when he felt something slip onto his head and turned to find himself face to face with Thranduil, who was grinning.

"You look more festive, now." He said. Thranduil himself looked stunning, white and silver robes, a silver circlet studded with white stones like starlight on his head. "Joyous Yule."

"Joyous Yule." Ahnir made to remove the circlet on his head, but Thranduil stopped him, grasping his wrist in a gentle yet firm hold.

"Delicate. It's holly - the most festive you can get." Thranduil gave a half smile. "Hithon is wearing one of blue spruce - pretty, but not as startling as holly. Besides, you didn't look festive at all." Ahnir frowned, looking down at his robes.

"They're green?" He really didn't see the problem with them at all. Thranduil, on the other hand, looked like he was suffering from something excruciatingly painful. "What?"

"You, Mellon nin, have no sense of style." Thranduil tutted and Ahnir recovered from his confusion long enough to look insulted.

"I do!" He protested.

"When it comes to what to wear while on patrol, maybe." Ahnir couldn't really argue with that. Thranduil laughed at his bewildered face and linked arms with Ahnir.

"Come on - let us eat and drink. Now is a time full of joy and celebration! Don't give me that disapproving look, Ahnir!"

**4 - Lilac**

According to his sister, Ahnir was ridiculously honest. Sometimes, that was more of a hindrance than a help.

Especially when he told Díllothon that his hair was a mess and the archivist had thrown him out of the library. Thranduil had just laughed at him. Thranduil laughed at his misfortune a lot. Sometimes it annoyed Ahnir a lot, but mostly it was nice to hear the prince laugh.

Currently, though, Ahnir was hiding from Almárëa, sitting on a tree branch and absently firing arrows at birds in other trees. His aim was extraordinary.

"If you are trying to hide, shooting arrows isn't going to help you with that." Ahnir nearly fell off his branch at Thranduil's voice, managing to regain his balance as the prince joined him, legs dangling from the branch. "Now, why are you hiding from Almárëa?"

"No reason."

"Be honest, Ahnir." Thranduil raised an eyebrow and Ahnir sighed.

"It's just...you and her. Getting married...it'll change everything, won't it?" Ahnir heard Thranduil sigh, before he found himself looking into earnest, silver blue eyes.

"Nothing is going to change, Ahnir. I swear it." Thranduil stated firmly. "We'll still be friends, brothers in all but blood. Being married isn't going to change any of that."

"You'll be king one day." Ahnir reminded him. "Things will change then."

"Maybe. We won't be able to relax as much, but we'll always be friends." Thranduil reassured. He was always reassuring Ahnir. "You'll be my most trusted, leader of the guards." Ahnir managed to smile.

"Thank you."

"I'll always be here, Ahnir." Thranduil hummed, before pulling something out of the moleskin bag he had brought up with him. He pulled out another circlet, the lilac flowers bright. "For being honest." He replied, placing the circlet on Ahnir's head. "Look at me - I'm spoiling you with circlets."

"I don't mind." Ahnir said, and he really didn't. It made him feel as though nothing was going to change.

He was still going to get circlets and he and Thranduil would remain friends until the end.

**5 - Wisteria**

As a soon to be king, it was Thranduil's duty to know his land like the back of his hand. No matter how big the Greenwood was, Thranduil knew every nook and cranny, where the best hunting grounds were, how to help the trees and plants to grow, their canopies stretching out, covered with dark green leaves, still allowing sunlight to trickle through the small gaps in them.  
Much of Thranduil's exploration took place with Ahnir in tow, the younger elf allowing himself to be dragged along whenever Thranduil wished to look through his soon to be kingdom. They had a specific tree which they usually lounged in, escaping from the duties they were required to do for a few glorious hours.  
"We must know every inch of the forest by now." Thranduil sighed, coaxing a few pieces of wood to weave together, leaves and flowers growing and blooming as he crooned an ancient elvish song in Sindarin. Ahnir had kept the circlets the prince had made him, even his first attempt, made from apple branches. "You agree, correct?" Thranduil absently affixed the now complete sycamore circlet atop his blonde head. He looked like a less flamboyant version of Oropher, and Ahnir could easily imagine Thranduil sitting on the throne, wearing a crown of silver birch and red and gold leaves.  
"Of course." Ahnir paused in etching Sindarin words onto his bow. "I mean, you drag me off enough times." Thranduil elbowed Ahnir playfully, a smirk on his lips.  
"It is the duty of a king to know his kingdom."  
"It is also the duty of a king to keep his subjects in line. You're too lax with me."  
"No one else would endure these journeys with me. Besides, you hunted and foraged. Ada won't kill you." Thranduil made an excellent point - the fact that his moleskin was heavy with squirrel, expertly shot, along with some wild blackberries found by the prince, made Ahnir feel much better about following Thranduil on his 'adventures' in the forest.  
"True." Ahnir admitted and the beam that lit up Thranduil's face made it worth the admission.  
"See? Nothing to worry about." Thranduil hummed, before setting to work on creating another circlet, this one of cherry blossom.  
"For the queen?" Thranduil hummed in agreement.  
"Naneth loves cherry blossoms - they are her favourite." He replied. "What is your favourite, mellon nin?"  
"My favourite?"  
"Tree. Bark colour, blossoms, you know. That sort of thing." Ahnir frowned, humming thoughtfully and running a finger along his bow.  
"Wisteria." He decided eventually and noticed the slight pink flush staining the prince's cheeks. "What?"  
"Enduring love." Thranduil explained. "That's what it means."  
"Well, it is, isn't it?" Ahnir, too, felt slightly flushed. "We will endure everything, war and ruin. We are brothers, even if not by blood."  
"I couldn't ask for someone more loyal." Thranduil leant against Ahnir, looking out over the forest. A half completed cherry blossom circlet hung loosely from his left hand.  
"I would die for you." Ahnir answered, and found himself being completely honest. "I swear it." Thranduil smiled.  
"Thank you."  
When Ahnir returned to his room at the end of the day, he wasn't surprised to find a circlet set on his bed, the purple blooms easily visible through the branches of a wisteria tree.

**+1 - Oak**

When Almárëa died, the entire kingdom mourned. Ahnir had to tell Annuneth the news himself, and she sobbed into Hithon's robes as he ran a hand through her hair in comfort. His niece, Annalial, had immediately been at Legolas' side, along with Tauriel, the two comforting the young prince.

Ahnir gripped the circlet tightly as he pushed open the door to Thranduil's room.

His friend, his king, was sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands, crown cast aside. Ahnir wasn't worried about the crown, that could be fixed, but Thranduil's shoulder were shaking as he suppressed his cries. Almost hesitantly, Ahnir sat beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"She's dead." Thranduil glanced up, eyes red and wet. "She's dead and I should have saved her, Ahnir. I could have -"

"Almárëa wouldn't want you to blame yourself." Ahnir said firmly. "She wouldn't want you punishing yourself for her choices."

"How do you know?" Thranduil's voice became angry, rough. "How do you know what she would have wanted? I was the one who married her!"

"She was my friend, too!" Ahnir exclaimed, letting his sorrow through at last. "And she was beautiful and would never wish ill on anyone. She would hate it that you are sad, but she'd rather have you move on and not lament over what can't be changed." Ahnir held out his circlet and Thranduil stared at it blankly. "You always gave me one and they helped me - maybe this will help you."

"Oak."

"Endurance and long living. Strong through even the hardest of times. You can get through this, Thranduil." As soon as Ahnir placed the circlet on the king's head, Thranduil collapsed against him, crying into his robes as Ahnir ran a hand through silky hair, humming a lullaby under his breath.

"It will be alright." He murmured. "We'll get through this. I swear it."

XoOoX

Some info on the OCs!

Ahnir (ah-near) - Thranduil's most trusted guard and best friend. Annalial's uncle and Annuneth's brother.

Almárëa (Ahl-Mahr-ay-ah) - Thranduil's wife and Legolas' mother.

Annuneth (Ah-noo-neth) - Annalial's mother, Ahnir's sister and Hithon's wife.

Hithon (Hih-thon) - Captain of the guards, Annalial's father and Annuneth's husband.

Annalial (An-ah-lee-ahl) - Tauriel's right hand.

Díllothon (Di-loh-thon) - Archivist and librarian

I will be accepting ideas for other drabbles/stories - I'm too invested in these OCs, even though Díllothon and Hithon aren't even used that much.

Read, review and all that jazz! ~ Jazz xx


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